Koke wants to be Atleti's Gerrard

Koke has once again reaffirmed his desire to remain with boyhood club Atletico Madrid.

Published

21 May 2015

Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke has no plans to leave the La Liga club, with the Spain international prepared to follow in the footsteps of Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard.

Koke, who emerged from Atletico's youth ranks in 2009, has been linked with an off-season switch to the Premier League, with champions Chelsea among those interested.

But the 22-year-old has once again dismissed suggestions he will leave Madrid, insisting he wants to build a legacy at his boyhood club, just like Gerrard, who is set to end a 28-year association with Liverpool.

"I have a contract with Atletico, I want to accomplish things and I am happy here," Koke said.

"Of course I'd like to be Atleti's Gerrard."

Koke refused to weigh in on the ongoing speculation surrounding goalkeeper and Spain team-mate David De Gea, who is tipped to swap Manchester United for Real Madrid at the end of the campaign.

"David is a good friend of mine and at the moment he is a player of Manchester," the Spaniard said.

"If someday he is a Madrid player I'll have an opinion."

De Gea's potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu could signal the end of veteran Iker Casillas, whom Koke believes is being treated unfairly by Real's supporters.

"With Iker we all know him, I wouldn't like to be in his skin after what has happened at Real Madrid and the Spanish national team. It is a true injustice," he added.

"A week ago we saw the goodbye to Gerrard at Liverpool and now you see Casillas, who is a symbol, who is being whistled and it is unfair."